Heavy-duty lubricating grease



Patented Jan. 22, 1952 HEAVY-DUTY LUBRICATIN G GREASE Arnold J. Morway, Rahway, N. J., and Earl W.

Ball, New Rochelle, N. Y., assignors to Standard Oil Development Company, a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application December 1, 1949, Serial No. 130,608

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved heavy duty lubricating grease particularly a lubricating composition which is especially suitable for heavy machinery such as heavy automotive chassis elements, large gears, and other machine parts operating at relatively high speeds and/or under high unit pressures, and especially where elevated temperatures may be encountered. More specifically, the present invention relates to a new and unique grease type lubricant which combines a metal soap thickener dispersed in a liquid lubricant which comprises a substantial proportion of an asphaltic residuum of high viscosity, and relatively high adhesivity or tackiness, the composition having a solid grease-like consistency without being unduly hard at lower temperatures. The finished product is a solid, firm grease of relatively high melting point and high shear stability. It has properties which make it particularly suitable for the type. of servicementioned above where long life lubrication must be accomplished under conditions where ordinary greases or oils. would be inadequate The product has shown unusual merit as a chassis lubricant for heavy duty equipment, such as automotive trucks, busses, and earth moving, machinery, even duringhot: weather, where lubricants commonly used in the prior art have leaked out or have become ineffective after a period of time. The present application is a continuation-inpart of ourcopending application serial No. 9,314, filed February 18, 1948, now abandoned.

In the prior art, lubricants designed for heavy duty service, for example, lubricants for heavy automotive chassis elements, and for'heavy and relatively large and rough gears, have commonly consisted of soap thickened oils of true grease consistency which lack adhesivity, or have consisted of asphaltic residua cut back to an appropriate or desired viscosity or consistency with a suitable thinner, such as mineral lubricating oil. The grease products, e. g., soda soap greases or calcium greases, have usually given good service at normal temperatures where unit loads have not been too great. Onthe other hand, the heavy asphaltic oils or greases, which do not have a grease consistency at all, may lubricate heavy gears effectively over a moderate temperature range but, since theyare not true solids but rather viscous fluids, they tend to run oil? the gears and other. machine parts which are to be lubricated as temperatures are increased. This tendency to runoff gearing, or to drip away from chassis bearings, and the like, increases greatly as the temperature rises, due, to the, relatively poor temperature-viscosity relationship of asphaltic oil or grease products. The prior art lubricants of this type, in general, have very low viscosity index characteristics, which are typical of asphaltic compositions, and they thin out excessively upon rise in temperature. The poor viscosity-temperature relationship of prior art asphaltic lubricants not only makes them somewhat unsatisfactory under conditions where temperatures tend to rise considerably but they are also unsuitable for low temperature use. At low temperatures, these asphaltic lubricants tend to become brittle and to chip off the surfaces of gears or other metal elements on impact, thus leaving the surfaces which should be protected devoid of lubricant.

It has also been suggested in the prior art that a grease for heavy mill gears can be prepared of a lead and soda base. Lead soap can be reacted with sodium hydroxide to. form a complex soap which combines lead oxide and sodium hydroxide with fatty oil. In the patent to Swenson, #2295489, this suggestion is further amplified by the teaching that a heavy oil residuum may be used in combination with a relatively light oil in the soda-lead grease for high temperature use. The grease of the present invention bears some similarity to the Swenson product, but it does not involve a complex soap, nor does it have the same load bearing properties or resistance to leakage. According to the present invention, lead oleate is combined in a product which contains a high grade soda base grease. The product includes a dispersing agent for the soda soap which stabilizes this soap throughout the relatively heavy asphaltic constituent.

The product of the present invention has a further marked advantage over certain prior art products. While it is relatively water insoluble and is adequately resistant to water leaching of the soda soap, it will emulsify small quantities of water without decomposition. For this reason it will take up minor quantities of water which are unabsorbed in a completely Waterproof grease. This distinctly improves the rust inhibiting properties of the product.

Whilegreases have been prepared previously with a combination of soda soap and lead oleate, these products have almost invariably shown a tendency to break down to semi-fluid products after severe mechanical working. The product of the present invention, which combines these ingredients with a dispersing agent (oil-soluble metal sulfonate) and with a viscous oxidized asphalt plus a relatively thin lubricating oil, appears to be unique in this respect. It has excellent structure stability to long mechanical working and does not break down to a fluid consistency under the high shearing stresses of meshing gears under high loads. It withstands the severe grease worker tests without structural breakdown.

One important application of lubricants of this general type is in the lubrication of heavy autotive vehicle chassis. Another is the lubrication of the traction gear trains of certain types of railway locomotives, such as diesel electric engines. In such engines the traction gear train from the driving motor to the driving wheels is usually encased and filled with a heavy duty gear lubricant. As a rule the gear casing is not liquid tight and cannot conveniently be made so because of necessary tolerances for manufacture The lubricant of the present invention preferably consists of about 30 to 60% by weight of a suitable asphaltic residuum having a viscosity of about 1000 to 5000 S. S. U; at 210 F., 20 to 50% of a suitable mineral lubricating oil of lighter viscosity, e. g 35 to 300- S. S. U. at 210 8 to 18% of a suitable soap, preferably a sodium soap of rapeseed oil though other soaps of fatty acids such as sodium stearate, calcium stearate, and similar metal soaps of related C12 to C22 fatty acids, may be used. The composition also inv eludes about 1 to 15% of an extreme pressure In these applications the prior art lubricants mentioned above, which are liquid at elevated temperatures, consequently have required frequent inspection and replenishmentbecause the action of the mechanical elements and the vibration inherent in such mechanisms tend to squeeze out or throw out the lubricant through bearing en'ds, worn spaces, or small openings or crevices in gear cases and the like.

During at least a major part of the year, the normal operating conditions of heavy automotive and railway equipment resultin suflicient temperature rise that the prior art asphaltic lubricants become highly liquid and are very readily lost. In fact, experience has shown that greases (rather, stiff oils) of this type are frequently lost completely between the regular periodic inspections which are required, Such loss before replenishment inevitably results in abnormal wear of shackles, bearings, gear teeth and the like, due to inadequate lubrication. Although frequent inspections, for example, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, are usually required for such important equipment as heavy trucks, busses, diesel electric locomotives, etc., there have been relatively numerous and often serious mechanical failures due to the loss of lubricant. Such failures of course involve expensive replacements and often result in serious and expensive loss of service of the equipment.

The asphaltic type lubricants of the prior art, and likewise the soda base, lime base, and other greases based on oils of moderate viscosity, have been widely used in heavy duty equipment. Where the conditions of use are such as to result in wide variations in operating temperature and in unit loads, the relatively liquid asphaltic lubricant is not satisfactory. By using extreme pressure compositions, higher unit loads on shackles, springs, bearings, gears, and 'the like, may be tolerated. By a careful selection of ingredients, the other requirements'may also be met quite adaquately. It is the primary object of the present invention to make available 'a lubricant which more fully meets the requirements of the type of heavy duty service mentioned abo The present invention is based upon the discovery that a lubricant may be devised which will retain its grease-like or solid body at high temperatures and also will retain other desirable characteristics such as adhesiveness and resist ance to ready displacement from lubricating posi tion at elevated temperatures. At the same time the composition of the present invention does not become brittle at low temperatures to the extent that it fails to give adequate lubrication. It does not liquefy so as to be readily lost out of springs, shackles or gear cases having small openings therein, and it is an effective lubricating medium for varied heavy duty service over a widerange of temperatures.

additive. Various alkali or alkaline earth metal soaps or mixtures thereof, may be used but the soda soap of rapeseed oilappears to be most satisfactory because of its goodstable propertiesjat relatively high temperatures.v Lead oleate is'preferred as the extreme pressure agent, preferably in proportions of about 7 to 12%, especially about 10%, thoughlarger or smaller-proportions may be used. For some purposes additional and more potent extreme pressure additives may be desirable, e. g. chlorinated and/or sulfurized fatty oils, hydrocarbons; phosphorcompounds, and the like. It is desirable also, to use a small amount, for example 0.1 to 1%, preferably about 0.2%, of an oil soluble sulfonate such as oil soluble sodium sulfonate, especialy sulfonates ofrelatively high molecular weight (preferably 450 or more) derived from petroleum fractions by drastic treatment with strong sulfuric acid and the like. The grease should remain solid at least upto 250 F. i

The lubricant of the present invention has additional advantages of retaining its body under high shearing rates as well as possessing sufiie cient load-carryingproperties. Hence it retains structure stability under severe operations. The composition is provided with suflicient extreme pressure properties to protect satisfactorily the heavily loaded chassis parts of busses and trucks. as well as the major transmission gears of diesel electric locomotives and comparable mechanical equipment.

As an exampleof the present'invention, one composition wasprepared having the following ingredients: EXAMPLE I 8.8% rapeseed oil 1.90% caustic soda 7 29.10% low cold'test mineral oil of secs. viscosity at 210 F.

0.20% sodium sulfonate (mol. wt. 450 to 500) 40.00% asphaltic residuum of 2500 S.- S. U. viscosity at F.

-20.00% lead oleate concentrate (50% mineral The composition recited above was prepared by charging the rapeseed oil, sodium sulfonate, and A; of the low cold test mineral oil to a greasemaking kettle. This mixture was first heated to a temperature of F. and thereafter the caustic soda in a 30 to 40% aqueous solution was added, being stirred into the mixture to saponify the. rapeseed oil. Thereafter the temperature was. raised slowly to 300 F; to Complete the saponification and evaporatethe water. After the water had been completely evaporated, the remainder of the low cold test mineraloil was added. After addition of the oil, the temperature was raisedfurther to 500 F. and the heating was then discontinued. The cold asphaltic residuum' was next added to the heated mixture,

' resulting in a lowering of the temperature of Worked Penetration after 100,000 strokes r Test, pounds carried.

theicompositionto a point between250" and 300" VF. Thereafterthe temperature was further lowered to about 225 Fxand the lead oleate concentrate was added. The materialwas then ready for immediate packaging without 'further cooling. It wasof'solid; grease consistency at ordinary temperatures and up to at least 210 F. or higher. Thequantity 'of rapeseed oil and saponiiyingwagent used in this example is about" an optimum for diesel-electric locomotivetservice.

A composition employing about the maximum. quantity of soap is prepared from the following ingredients:

15.0% rapeseed oil 312% caustic soda 3l;6% mineral oil. 50 .S. U. at 210 F. 0.2% sodium sulfonate (mol. wt. about 450-500) 30.0% asphaltlc reslduum, 2500 S. S. .U. at 100 F 20.0% lead oleate concentrate .(50%-mineral oil) EXAMPLE III For purposes of comparison a typical prior art asphaltic residuum type lubricant was tested and also a modified soap thickened residuum lubricant was prepared as Example IV.

EXAMPLE IV 3 'at 77 F., extreme pressure characteristics, and

asphaltic consistency. The results of such tests are tabulated in Table I.

shown by theasphalt consistency test. I-

the other hand, larger quantities of soap maybexused than those given above with satisfactory results. Quantities may be: employed. as high as 15 or more, of'wthe total. composition, but although these will operate satisfactorily they materially increase the costof the lubricant, without giving improved performance.

EXAMPLE V A grease wasprepared by combinin 40% by weightiof a high grade soda-rapeseed oilsoap thickened mineral oil,40% of a. viscous asphaltic gear lubricant, and 20% of a lead oleate concentrate lead oleate in mineral oil of lubricating grade). This product gave exceptionally good service in the chassis lubricationof busses in'regular transit'service in one of themajor southern cities duringsummertime.

It'will be understood thatthe preferredcomposition of the present invention comprises a substantial proportion of suitable asphaltic residuum and also a" substantial .quantity of mineral oil, usually somewhat but not greatly less than the quantity. of residuum, a thickening soap which does not have extreme pressure properties'and an appropriate extreme pressure additive, lead oleate being preferred although other common and well-known extreme pressureadditivesmay 9 be employed.

The sodium soaps of vegetable oils,.especially rapeseed oil, arepreferred because of their de-' sirablehigh temperature. properties. In heavy duty gear service, as required ondiesel electric locomotives, the water resistance properties of grease or lubricant are not as important'as in some other types of operation. The sodium soaps, as is well known, are notas resistant to the leaching action of water as are some of the other soaps, such as calcium or lithium soaps, but

their high temperature properties are superior. Under conditions where water resistance is more important, soaps other than the sodium soaps may be employed with fairly satisfactory results. However, the asphaltic residuum of this. in-

AS'IM Dropping Point, F AS'IM Worked Penetration at 77 F.

Ma hole worker plate. 'Almen Extreme Pressure Lubricant 6,000

Asphalt Consistency Test (210 F.)

Float and Plug Method: Time to Sink Float (Seconds).

S 0 ll (1 n 0 flow).-

1 Not a true penetratiomsince viscosity of material floats cone.

In Example I the finished composition contained between 9 and 10% of sodium soapof rapeseed oil. This quantity appears to be about an optimum but a somewhat lesser quantity may be employed if desired. We have found, however, that the quantity of sodium soap should nott-be materially less than about 8% by weight basedon the total composition. Any amount materially less than 8% results in lower dropping or melting points of the grease permittin the composition to liquefy at moderately high operating temperatures with resultant loss, such as is typical of the non-soap thickened asphaltic residuum type lubricants of the prior-art. The use of lesssoap also results in considerably lower viscosity as vention tends to waterproof even the sodium soaps and prevents leachin quite effectively. There is a distinct advantage in having the grease sufficiently water absorptive that it will take up the small rust-forming quantities of water that collect by condensation in gear cases.

In general, asphaltic residuum is desirable because of its good adhesive properties. Heavy gears operating under high pressures appear to require a very adhesive type of lubricant which is not too easily thrown. on bycentrifugalforce. At the same time, it is important as noted above, to use a lubricant which will not become too liquid at elevated temperatures nor to brittle at .lowerrtemperatures. The grease or this invention subjected.

chassis service as on heavy machinery such as low-breathing andavoid the objectionable sweating which, particularly if traces of moisture are present, causes damage to the gear teeth surfaces. This is a further reason for the use. of a soapthickened lubricant which will not be thrown out of the vents as liquid lubricants are. The use of a soap, preferably a soda soap, to maintain a grease structure .in the lubricant and prevent liquefying thereof, is, essential wherever liquid lubricant would soon be lost from gear housings or other mechanical parts.

Because of the fact that there-is nearly always a small amount of moisture present, particularly in gear housings, roller bearings, and the like, the use of about 0.05 to 1%, preferably about 0.2%, of a rust inhibitor, such as an oil soluble sodium petroleum sulfonate or other similar alkali or alkaline earth sulfonate, is considered very. ,desirable. Other known corrosion inhibitors, such as partial esters of polyhydric alcohols, for example, may be used with or in lieu of the'sulfonate, but sodium sulfonate usually is preferred. The sulfonate is preferably added after thegrease has been cooled down from its maximum temperature to avoid the formation of a complex with the soap of fatty acids.

v It may best be added after the asphaltic residuum is added.

The quantity of the lead soap extreme pressure additive may be varied within wide limits,

depending upon the use'to which thegrease is In. general, for heavy duty gear vor locomotives, trucks, busses, road machinery, and

.the like, sufficient quantities 'of the extreme pressure additive should be employed to carry the required loads as suggested above. In general, the

quantity of extreme pressure additive, preferably 4%.

lead olea-te for the present purpose, will be be- 'eral usage.

A series of tests were conducted in one of the larger southern cities during the summer time, using a fleet of transit busses. Among six competitive greases, used as chassis lubricants, th'e'j specific composition of this invention (Example IV) gave the best results. Test results are given in the following table. Some of the other products tested were other products of applicants combines these propertiesin a very satisfactory degree.

8 from 10,260 :to 18,800 pounds, of various standard' manufacture. The busses were lubricated regularly at 1000 mile intervals, the time intervals varyingfrom 5 to l3'days'. Temperatures during the test period varied from a low of 78 F. to a high of 104 F. Grease C, a'goodquality oil and soda soap grease, showed a pronounced tendency to emulsify and break down under wet conditions which was not so with the grease of Example V, although both were soda base greases. The grease F was a semiliquid product, and was not suitable for use where leakage is possible. The above tests show that the composition of the present invention has excellentproperties for heavy duty chassis lubrication as well as for the lubrication of heavy duty gears and the like. The grease is only moderately firm in consistency and hence can be readily handled and dispensed in ordinary dispensing'equipmentin contrast to conventional heavy gear lubricants which are highly viscous in texture and very hard to "dis:- pense. At the same time it remains in'place and performs its lubrication functions satisfactorily under adverse temperature and moisture condi- ,tions, which is not true of the relatively nomadhesive straight soda base greases or other conventional lubricants. f p

It will be understood from the'foregoing that the present invention differs from prior art compositions in using a light oil to thin out the asphaltic' residuum to a considerable extent and then adding a sufficient quantity of a soap, pref erably a soda soap of a vegetable oil which will produce a stable high temperature grease, to substantially solidify the lubricant and maintain such solidity -at high operating temperatures. Such a grease does not freeze up and become brittle at .low temperatures, even below 0 such asflmay be encountered in winter railroador bus or truck operations, nor does it liquefy'so asto be thrown offthe gears or lost from the gear case at moderately high operatingtemperatures, e. g., temperatures, of 250 F. v

It will be obvious that. various conventional additives may be incorporated in the greases of this invention as. willbe apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, antioxidants, rust inhibitors, viscosity index improvers, tackiness agents, polymeric thickeners and the like, may be added for particular purposes without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A lubricating grease composition consisting assignee and still others were products of com- 55 .essentially of about to by weight of petitors. asphaltic residuum, of between-1000 -and 5000 Table II g HEAVY DUTY CHASSIS LUBRICANT FIELD TESTS Soap 7 Worked Extreme Retention Composition Penel z r atio S Pressure Handling in Org; Type at 7| F. Additive Mechanism Ex;V 8.8 Soda... 340 220 Pb. Oleate Satisfactory." Ew. A 10.5 Lime 330 105 Pb. Olcate -.do Good.

' and Glilor Wax. 12.3 d0 280 6.3 Soda 450' d 9.7 Alum. 330 7.2 .do 303 68 d0- Poor. l. 9 Sodzn. 1 567 Pb. 01eate-. Very Poor.

SI L Mobilometerconsistency.

The vehicles used in the foregoing tests were S. S. U. viscosity at F., about 10% of lead 5. '2 0 p e r Cap ity, welghm 7 soap as an extreme pressure additive, about 8 to 18% sodium soap of rapeseed oil, about 0.05 to 1% of an oil soluble petroleum sulfonate as a rust inhibitor, the remainder of the composition being mineral base lubricating oil of 35 to 300 1 S. S. U. viscosity at 210 F.

2. A normally solid and viscous heavy duty gear lubricant composition which does not become brittle at temperatures as low as 0 F. nor liquid at temperatures as high as 250 F., consisting of about 40% by weight of an asphaltic residuum of about 2500 S. S. U. viscosity at 100 F., about 30% of low cold test mineral oil having a, viscosity of about 50 S. S. U. at 210 F., 20% of a '50% lead oleate concentrate in mineral oil, about 10% of a sodium soap of rapeseed oil and about 0.2% of oil soluble sodium petroleumsulfonate of about 450 to 500 molecular weight as an anti-rusting agent.

3. The process of preparing a solid adherent lubricating grease composition which remains solid and non-brittle over a wide temperature range, which comprises preparing in mineral lubricating oil of low cold test and of viscosity between 35 and 200 S. S. U. at 210 F., a sodium soap of rapeseed oil in proportions of between about 8 and 18% by weight of said soap, based on the total composition, heating said oil and soap to a temperature substantially higher than 210 F., to evaporate water of saponification, heating still further to a temperature of the order of 500 F'., adding asphaltic residuum at lower temperature in suflicient quantity to lower the composition temperature to at least as low as 300 F., and thereafter adding about 1 to 15% of a lead soap as an extreme pressure agent so as to avoid formation of a soda soap-lead soap complex.

4. Process as in claim 3, which comprises incorporating 0.05 to 1% by weight, based on the total composition, of an oil soluble metal petroleum sulfonate after adding the asphaltic residuum.

ARNOLD J. MOR'WAY. EARL W. BALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,699,961 Finlay Jan. 22, 1929 1,989,196 Hilliker Jan. 29, 1935 2,086,870 Hilliker July 13, 1937 2,211,921 Brunstrum et a1. Aug. 20, 1940 2,265,791 Zimmer et a1. Dec. 9, 1941 2,295,189 Swenson Sept. 8, 1942 2,455,892 Fraser Dec. 7, 1948 2,457,582 McCarthy Dec, 28, 1948 

1. A LUBRICATING GREASE COMPOSITION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF ABOUT 30 TO 40% BY WEIGHT OF ASPHALTIC RESIDUUM, OF BETWEEN 1000 AND 5000 S. S. U. VISCOSITY AT 100* F., ABOUT 10% OF LEAD SOAP AS AN EXTREME PRESSURE ADDITIVE, ABOUT 8 TO 18% SODIUM SOAP OF RAPESEED OIL, ABOUT 0.05 TO 1% OF AN OIL SOLUBLE PETROLEUM SULFONATE AS A RUST INHIBITOR, THE REMAINDER OF THE COMPOSITION BEING MINERAL BASE LUBRICATING OIL OF 35 TO 300 S. S. U. VISCOSITY AT 210* F. 